Higher Places
by TheEvanescentOne
Summary: Bellatrix Black was without doubt the most skilled witch in her year. But what happens when her darkest desires and fears are let loose in the school?


**AN: This idea struck me at about midnight last night and I just had to write it down. Please let me know what you think! **

Higher Places

Bellatrix Black was an extremely gifted witch. In fact, it was well known that she was the most skilled in her year when it came to wands and spells. Bellatrix knew this all too well, of course, and wore the knowledge like a golden crown as she strutted proudly through the Hogwarts hallways.

In her first year, she had joined the school duelling club for practice to eventually fight her trouble loving cousin Sirius. Within six weeks sAnhe had knocked a fourth year Slytherin out cold and hospitalised two Hufflepuffs.

In her third year she had snuck off into the Forbidden Forest with Rodolphus Lestrange and his brother for a laugh and ended up fighting off a swarm of angry pixies that had been accidentally let loose by the gamekeeper.

Two months later she used her quick thinking to flick her wand and save a Quidditch Chaser from what would have been a fatal blow to the head from a nastily timed Bludger from the Gryffindor team. Bellatrix usually didn't have time for sports matches but the school had rewarded her thusly for attending that day and saving a fellow Slytherin.

Moments like these continued to occur for the young witch and gained her a great deal of attention from many seeking talent like hers. None more so than that of the Dark Lord's. He had witnessed the girl's magical skills while attending meeting in her father's home a month or so before her seventeenth birthday. The family's house elf had dropped a tray of crystal glasses and whiskey intended for her father's guests which had angered her terribly. The Dark Lord watched on as she punished the elf with a nasty jinx that caused him to cut himself deeply with every contact with glass he made as he was ordered to clean up the mess. By the end of the affair, blood stained the wooden floor and soaked the creature's rags awfully. The Dark Lord had spoken to Cygnus that night. He was interested in Bellatrix joining his ranks as soon as she was finished in school - one year from then. Throughout the year that came, the Dark Lord and Bellatrix met on many occasions where he would personally fine tune her wand training. She would certainly be the finest warrior when he was done with her. All Bella knew was, that deep in her core, she wanted only to please him. A loyalty had formed towards him that she vowed she would never break. As time moved on, Bellatrix's everything became His. And she would do anything for her master.

When Bellatrix returned to school after Christmas break during her seventh year, she held herself higher than she ever had before. Her power seemed to emanate from her as she went about her business. Nobody could have guessed her radiance was due to the Dark Lord's one-to-one lessons. Everybody assumed that the young Black's engagement to Rodolphus Lestrange was the reason. Oh how wrong they were.

Bellatrix entered her Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom which the Slytherin NEWT students shared with the Gryffindors. The course was a popular one with the current climate and, despite her career choices, she had been advised to take the class so to avoid suspicion of her intentions. It wasn't as if the spells were any sort of struggle for Miss Black.

"Today, we are going to have some fun," smiled Professor Merrythought - the late Professor Merrythought's son - with a lighthearted air, "Since it is the first week back after the holidays we are going to play with our friend, and foe, the Boggart."

There were mixed reactions from the class. Where a Boggart could be extremely amusing, they could start out terrifying. Bellatrix gave an easy smirk. She had known how to repel these creatures from a much younger age and had no doubt she would find this challenge a breeze.

"Do we have to join in, sir?" Arthur Weasley had spoken up.

"Aw go on Weasel!" jeered the ever joking James Potter, "It'll be a laugh."

"Besides, at least you know to expect a big hairy tarantula this time!" perked up Sirius. Bellatrix rolled her eyes.

After more joking had passed between the students, Professor Merrythought ordered his students into line and silenced them before relaxing the Boggart that lived hidden in the old classroom supply cupboard.

Spider after clown after creepy crawly came and each student cried the incantation, "Riddikulus!", as it came to their turn. As always, Remus Lupin caused a full moon to disappear as a deflating balloon and then it was Bellatrix's turn. The witch readied herself in a strong defending position and waited for the shapeshifter to change for her. When it did, there was a resounding gasp from the surrounding students. Before them, a tall, cloaked figure stood. He was pale and had sharp, deadly eyes that burned into Bellatrix's soul as she gazed at her Dark Lord and she knew, she knew he was displeased. Bellatrix's heart stopped and she wavered, her wand hand dropping a little in shock at the sight before her. As she stared at the man she admired and respected with all her being, she forgot that he was not truly there.

"You have failed me, Bella," his voice was like a hiss that struck her ice cold in the heart. She shook her head, slowly at first, and then more frantically, "You have failed me," he repeated.

"No... no I haven't..." She retreated a step as the figure approached her menacingly. The entire class behind her had stopped in utter shock including Professor Merrythought who had only extended an arm to gesture to the other students not to interfere.

"My Lord, I-"

"Silence!" The Dark Lord ordered and Bellatrix's open mouth snapped shut. Her wide eyes had began to sting with the threat of tears, "Bella I had thought you to be an extremely talented witch. I took you as my protégé and you let me down in such a way. You should know that you will not be accepted into my ranks now, Bellatrix-"

"No..." Bella whimpered.

"-and that you shall never receive my Mark as you so desire."

Bellatrix dropped to her knees, "My Lord please!"

The dark figure slashed his hand through the air and smacked her hard enough on the cheek to throw her sideways and knock the wand from her hand. The only sound to fill the stunned silence was Bellatrix's crying as she begged for him to forgive her.

Without looking up from her crumpled position, Bellatrix heard the slamming of a door and muttering slowly begin to catch behind her. When she did raise her eye line, she saw the supply cupboard closed and the empty space that had previously occupied her worst fear. Sirius stood by the cupboard which he had finally broken away from the crowd to close. Professor Merrythought stood close, mouth agape and wide eyed, as he stared at the disgraced Slytherin student on his classroom floor.

Bellatrix slowly pushed herself up to sitting, fully aware of the whispers from her classmates surrounding her. Everything had been let into the open. Her desires, her ambitions and her fears. None of these people had ever seen her cry before. Her pale cheeks burned an ugly red as she wiped the moisture from her face. When she dared to look up at their faces, she saw the many eyes on her; judging, pitying, fearing and loathing.

Bella swallowed and began to stand up. She took her wand in hand and silence fell as she did so. Some students gripped their wands harder. Some backed away. She stood staring into the crowd for a moment before eyeing the door and making quickly for it.

"Bella..." Rodolphus started towards her out of the crowd but she held her wand to him to threaten him to stay away. He did as silently ordered.

Bellatrix forced open the heavy door and charged meaningfully from the classroom where everything had just changed.

She couldn't stay at Hogwarts any longer. She wasn't safe. Here, she had fallen from grace, but, as she marched to grab her belongings and make for her new life, she knew for certain that she was headed for higher places and a far more prestigious ranking than most skilled witch in Hogwarts.


End file.
